Swing voters say they will now back women bishops [View all]

Madeleine Davies

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THE pivotal votes of a small num­ber of members of the General Synod who helped to defeat the women-bishops Measure in Novem­ber 2012 have swung to the Yes camp.

The earlier Measure was lost by six votes in the House of Laity. Instrumental to the defeat were a handful of members who, despite being in favour of the consecration of women as bishops, voted against the Measure, prompted by a concern that it did not offer enough provision for those who were opposed on principle.

Five of these members told the Church Times this week that they now planned to vote in favour.

"The Measure that is before us this month . . . is a totally different animal," Tom Sutcliffe (diocese of Southwark) said on Tuesday. "It makes suitable provision for most of those who don't believe women can or should be bishops and priests. . . If the Measure now before us were to fail, I think it would be a total disaster."

http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/4-july/news/uk/swing-voters-say-they-will-now-back-women-bishops